How to save money in Romania

Hello everyone,

Did you plan your budget before your move to Romania? If so, how did you go about it?

How do you save money in your day to day life? Do you find there are any areas where you can't cut costs?

Do you have any tips about saving money in Romania? For example, getting the best deals on accommodation, grocery shopping and dining out, the best value transportation, etc..

Are there any apps or websites that have helped you to save money?

Thank you for sharing your experience.

Priscilla

Money saving tips in Romania.

My wife and I are working here in Romania (Cuj) for almost 5 months now.
And here's what we do to at least save money.

Accommodation
- We rented a 420 euro flat just around a big mall here. I had deal with my employer so he shouldered the half of the rent. Just be open to them and they will find ways to grant your request.

Transportation
-Taxi cost us around 30 lei (two way) per day. In order to save, we bought 2-line bus ticket, which is 84 RON per person for one month. That is a lot of saving and considering the bus line in Cluj is one of the best in the world.
But i am considering buying a second hand car so we can move around other great places around Cluj.

Food
-We have big grocery nearby (Auchan). The prices are cheap if you buy in bulk, like cleaning materials, food, etc. We do weekly grocery to save time. We usually buy bottled water but tap water is safe to drink so we are good with that.
-There are plenty of good restaurant with cheap prices here so with your 20-40 lei per person budget, it is fair enough.
Preparing food at home is a bonding moment though.

I also try to save at least 20% of our income monthly.
Budgeting is a difficult task to be honest. It really depends on your lifestyle.